Why solar panel voltage remains rather constant while current
Did an experiment and found that when the light intensity shinning onto the solar panel increases, the measured current increases while the measured voltage remains more or less constant
With 10:1 current increase only causing 10% or 8% increase in voltage, the solar cell seems Constant Voltage. To clarify, at constant room temperatures, the saturation current will remain constant?
Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp): This is the voltage at which your panel operates most efficiently. If voltage is pressure, current (measured in amps) is the flow rate. Voltage is how steep the river is, while current is how much water flows past you each second. Some key points about current for solar panels:
Residential solar panels typically have a voltage range between 12 and 96 volts, with the most common being 12, 24, and 48 volts. The actual voltage output of a solar panel can vary depending on factors such as temperature, sunlight intensity, and the panel's design.
Here's what we learned: Solar panels, unless heavily shaded have a remarkably high and consistent voltage output even as the intensity of the sun changes. It is predominantly the current output that decreases as light intensity falls. Panel temperature will affect voltage – as has been discussed in another blog.
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